I've been following the adventures of a Canadian pilgrim, Sara Dhooma, who posts a short video every day on YouTube. She has just passed Zamora, which is as far as I'll be going. She seems to be a perennial walker and travels from one long distance footpath to another around the globe. She also samples the local beer at every opportunity and this seems to enable her to walk long distances each day!
The first part of my holiday is an Andalusian odyssey organised by Fresco Tours, taking in Cordoba, Granada, Jerez and Seville. There will also be a few walks in the National Parks. It's hot in the south of Spain later in the year, which is why their tour begins in the middle of March.
This is my planning so far:
Accommodation List Via de la Plata 2018
11 Mar EK dep Perth 10.20 pm arr Madrid 12.40
pm.
12 Mar Madrid Airport Express to Atocha every 15 mins. Bus takes
one hour from Terminal 4 and costs €5.
Stop is on right after exiting terminal. Linea Expres Aeropuerto.
12 Mar Cordoba Bkd by Fresco at Hotel NH Amistad, Plaza de Maimonides 3.
13 Mar Fresco Tour starts 3.00 pm.
Cordoba NH Amistad
14 Mar Granada NH Granada Centro Hotel (formerly Hesperia Granada)
15 Mar Granada NH Granada Centro Hotel
16 Mar Granada NH Granada Centro Hotel 8.30 pm
Arriaga Restaurant, Granada.
17 Mar Grazalema Hotel Puerta de la Villa
18 Mar Grazalema Hotel Puerta de
la Villa
19 Mar Jerez Casa Grande
20
Mar Jerez Casa Grande
21 Mar Seville Hotel Becquer
22 and 23 Mar Seville Bkd by Fresco at Hotel Becquer 2 nights. Fresco Tour ends after breakfast on 22 Mar
VdlP Assoc Office
at Calle Castilla 82.
ALSA bus Seville to Merida Book bus asap!
Dep 9.45 am
Arr Zafra 11.15
Arr Merida 12.00
24 Mar Zafra Casa Palacio de la Corte bkd
25 Mar (Sun)
Merida Parador bkd €15 to visit 6 main Roman
sites; €6 to visit ampitheatre. (NB Semana Sancta is 25 Mar to 1 April)
26 Mar Aljucen 16.5 kms (via Prosperina Dam) Dam built by
Romans to supply water to Merida.
Hotel Rural Termas Aqua
Libera Eat: Sergio’s Restaurant
27 Mar Alcuesca 20 kms Casa
Rural Casa Grande
28 Mar Aldea del Cano 15 kms Casa Rural Via de la Plata (Pay cash!)
29 Mar Caceres 22 kms Maybe a bus from Valdesalor? Parador bkd for 2 nights incl breakfast
30 Mar Caceres - Good Friday.
31 Mar (Sat) By bus to Canaveral
Caceres - Salamanca bus has 14 stops ; 1st stop Canaveral in 35
mins. Get timetable!
Albergue de Canaveral highly recommended!
1 April (Sun) Canaveral to Riolobas 18.6 kms
Riolobos Camping “Los Catalinas” Bkd:
Manager is Nacho
who also manages Albergue in Galisteo; offers free ride to Galisteo.
2
April Galisteo
9.5 kms ? or ask for ride to Galisteo on 1 April? Need
to save a day.
3 April Carcaboso 10.2
kms ? Hotel Ciudad de Caparra? (Cd go
by bus /taxi to Plasencia? and back to Arch of Caparra to see Interpretive
Centre, opens at 10.00 am)
4 April Oliva de Plasencia 18 kms from Carcaboso ?Casa Rural Via Caparra?
5 April Hervas Hotel Spa Sinagoga bkd. Avenida de la Provincia 2..
6
April Banos
de Montemayor Casa Rural “Los
Postigos” bkd. Banos has good interpretative centre. Banos is 10 kms from Aldeanueva. On
bus route.
7
April Bus to Salamanca (3 buses per day) Hotel Rector bkd for 2 nights
8 April (Sun) Salamanca Visit Salamanca Art Deco Museum and Café.
9 April Zamora by bus. Zafra
Municipal Albergue outstanding historic bldg with view.
10 April Zamora
11 April Segovia by train
12 April Madrid
by train. ?Hotel Tryp Madrid Chamartin
13 April (Fri) Dep Madrid
15.20 EK
My trusty hiking boots, which have done many Caminos, have developed a large crack in the sole. I can't find any replacements in Perth, so I've had to order them online from Ecco. I hope I can break them in on time.
My trusty hiking boots, which have done many Caminos, have developed a large crack in the sole. I can't find any replacements in Perth, so I've had to order them online from Ecco. I hope I can break them in on time.
These boots have cracked up on me! |
Looking forward to hearing about your walk!
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